Blackford County council adopts 2026 county and solid-waste budgets, approves transfers

The Blackford County Council voted unanimously to adopt the Blackford County 2026 budget and the Blackford County Solid Waste District 2026 budget during its regular meeting. The Solid Waste District budget was approved on a motion by Council Member Patrick Cale, seconded by Jim Weiseman; the county budget was approved on a motion by Ryan Goodspeed, seconded by Patrick Cale. Both motions carried 6–0.

County staff presented a financial snapshot for September 2025: "Financial Report for County General Ending Cash Balance as of September 2025 $3,265,545.67; Total Expenditures for September 2025 $354,223.07; Total Revenue September 2025 $194,515.85." Council also approved routine interfund transfers for highway operations and a cumulative capital reallocation: transfers in the Highway fund ($5,500 from Auto to Calcium; $15,000 from Auto to Repair of Equipment) were approved on a motion by Casey Dick and seconded by Patrick Cale (6–0), and a $19,400 transfer from Culverts to Engineering Fees in the cumulative capital fund was approved on a motion by Ryan Goodspeed and seconded by Jim Weiseman (6–0).

The actions set the fiscal framework for county operations in 2026 and preserved the Council's current budgeted match amounts, including a previously-budgeted $200,000 match for an upcoming highway structure project. The adoption of the budgets concludes the county's appropriation process for the next fiscal year and commits the county to the spending levels approved by the Council.

The Council adjourned the meeting at 6:47 p.m. and recorded the approved minutes; no subsequent amendments to the adopted budgets were taken at that session.